How hard is it to fake a game used item?

[richpick]

Here is my question with a game issued item vs. a game used item. I just ran across a long thread about an ebayer buying game issued items and then relisting them as game used. The only factor is wear right? The jersey or bat has all the markings of a gamer except the use, right? Am I wrong here or does this seem really easy for an dishonest person to make a lot of money? To me it would seem to be easier to do this to a jersey then a bat?

[kingjammy24]

"..does this seem really easy for an dishonest person to make a lot of money?"

i don't know what your idea of "a lot" is but given the high number of individuals in this hobby who pull these shenanigans it's apparent there's a decent amount to be made. if that's how someone is making their money then it's likely because they don't have the skills to legitimately pull in that income.

see:
http://www.gameuseduniverse.com/vb_forum/showpost.php?p=44486&postcount=11

rudy.

[eGameUsed]

I think there are people that see the dollar signs associated with many items in the hobby and are drawn to try to make a quick buck.

I do think adding "use" to a game issued jersey is easy, as many times use is definied as frequent washing. It obviously softens the jersey and causes pucking in patches and tagging. I would think piling is much harder to fake.

As for bats, anyone can add tar, numbers on a knob, and maybe take the bat to a batting cage, but only a 90+ MPH fastball and MLB players swing can cause MLB ball mark transfer and deep seam marks.

In the end, groups of collectors like us can prevent this with our investigating techniques and understanding of what is readily available (i.e. Stay away from Pre-2006 X-Bats). Same holds true for "6200" coded Majestic jerseys. Sure, there are a few legitimate ones out there, but are you willing to put big money on a big name player if there is even a slight doubt?

Thanks,

[geoff]

It is just dead wrong to fake a game used item.I see people see dollar signs but this is not a practice I would do when selling any item that I own.
Thanks
Geoff

[Nathan]

One of the reasons I don't collect baseball is because I don't believe wear would be difficult to fake.

If you think about it, most wear to baseball jerseys comes from laundering more than abuse in-game. Since snags, pills, pulls, etc aren't terribly difficult to fake, combine that with washing a bunch of times and there's a jersey that looks fairly close to the genuine article.

[aeneas01]

I think there are people that see the dollar signs associated with many items in the hobby and are drawn to try to make a quick buck.

i agree - but i also believe these crooks are so emboldened by the utter lack of any sort of deterrence that they simply look at it as picking up free money left lying on the ground. i mean it's free lunch time for these guys and they are gettin' while the gettin's good!

and even though this forum is second to none when it comes informing, educating and protecting the collector and second to none when it comes trying to make a real difference in the hobby, i'm guessing that the number of those lucky enough to have found this haven simply pales in comparison to the number of those left out of the loop, those that these crooks prey on. but i'll tell ya what, i really do think this forum's voice is getting louder and louder every day....

but as far as the topic of this thread is concerned, i think there's a similar sleight of hand that's just as prevalent and just as easy to accomplish as turning a "game issued" item into a "game used" item - and that's when a game used football helmet is turned into a game used football helmet once belonging to a star. just ask dick butkus.